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Bright Eyes Family Vision Care is now on Google+

I’ve been using Google+ for a few months now, and I must say…. I like it. I like the ease of organization, I like the layout and interface. I especially like that it interfaces so well with Gmail and other Google services that I use all day. I especially like that it provides an option for those, like me, who do not want to use Facebook. In short, I am a big fan of Google+. (You can find me on Google+ here).

Along with many others, I have been waiting patiently for Google+ Pages, which allow companies, brands and other non-people to have a presence on Google+ and interact with other users. So when I saw online yesterday that Google+ Pages were now available, we jumped at the chance. The pages are so easy to set up, that it only took minutes to complete.

So, at long last, here is the Bright Eyes Google+ Page:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105902030959548680037

I’m pretty sure we were the first eye care provider to have a Google+ Page, which is always exciting. We have joined some pretty cool folks with new Google+ Pages worth checking out:

The Muppets
Pepsi
Social Fresh
Train
Anderson Cooper 360
The Next Web
Many others! (search Google with a “+” before the name.)

We are excited to have this new opportunity to share information about eyes, vision, and the local Tampa community. Now that we have it, what should we do with it? What would you like to see on our Bright Eyes Google+ Page?

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

Girl’s Life Saved Due to Facebook Photo

This is a great example of how the tools of social media can have very significant real-world positive effects.

Retinoblastoma is a very serious eye cancer. It only affects children. This is because its kills everyone who has it by five years of age. Because the eyes are connected directly with the brain, the cancer takes over the eye, then the brain and continues to spread until the victim dies.

Surprisingly, most retinobastoma is not found by a pediatrician or eye doctor, but by a friend or family member who sees something wrong with the child’s eyes. Usually this is either a white-look pupil or an eye turn.

Recently the Daily Mail newspaper in England reported this exact scenario: A friend did see a problem with 2 year old Grace’s eyes. It turned out to be retinoblastoma, which was successfully treated. But here is the twist: the friend, a nurse, saw the problem via a photo on Facebook.

In addition to the fantastic result for Grace, there are two other points here. The first is that social media will continue to help improve education and medical care over time and this is an early example. The second is that thorough, early eye exams are a good idea. The American Optometric Association recommends exams at 6 months of age, three years of age, and before kindergarten. The InfantSEE program supports this by providing no-cost eye exams to patients between the ages of 6 and 12 months.

If you have a young child, be sure to schedule an appointment with your optometrist. You never know what problems might be found.

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

You Now Can Check In at Bright Eyes Tampa with Facebook Places and Save Money!

You love Bright Eyes, right? And you may be one of the half a billion (yes, with a “B”) people who have a Facebook account. So now that Facebook Places is up and running, you can combine Bright Eyes and Facebook by checking in at the NEW Bright Eyes Facebook Place Page!

So…. If you are thinking, “What the heck is he talking about?” Here is a quick primer:

In the social media world, location-based services are hot! Location based services (LBSs) are applications that work on your smartphone, like an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry. Because these apps know where you are via GPS, it allows you to interact with other people in specific ways: location friends, see who’s in the area, and other game-like activities.

For the last year, foursquare has been my favorite, because it is the most fun. Gowalla, Yelp and other LBS applications have been competing for interest. All of these apps let you “check in” somewhere. This usually let’s friends know that you are at that location, but also gets you discounts at certain businesses. For example, showing your check in to Bright Eyes on any of the services gets you a discount on purchased items and services.

But the big game changer was that Facebook rolled out is own LBS, totally integrated with all other aspects of Facebook. So now, even if you didn’t have a foursquare or Gowalla account, you can still check in at Bright Eyes for your discount with Facebook. You can check in two ways: the iPhone Facebook app, or using http://touch.facebook.com. (Feel free to use one of the computers if you want to check in!)

So next time you stop by Bright Eyes for an exam, to pick up contacts, or just to say “Hi”, be sure to check in!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

Can Tampa Handle our HUGE Coach Give-Away !?!

This year it will be three years that we’ve had this blog up and running and we’ve had over 50,000 page views. And to celebrate those three years, we are giving away 3 Coach frames! You could win FREE Coach sunglasses or Coach frames!

There are three ways you can enter, and no purchase is necessary. There will be one winner from each category.

1) Write a comment here on this post and tell us what you think of this blog. All comments welcome!

2) Become our Facebook fan and/or follower on Twitter. Then post a comment on Facebook Wall or mention @BrightEyesTampa in a tweet. UPDATE: You can enter via Twitter with our one-click contest entry!

3) Text the word “BrightEyes” to 74700. This will sign you up to receive occasional special announcements and deals from Bright Eyes and enter you to win the Coach eyewear.

On February 28, 2010, we will announce the winners on this blog. There will be one winner from each of the categories above and you can enter by any and all of the methods as many times as you want.

But take note. We are not going to pick the winners at random. From each group above, we will pick a winner that is compelling. The funnier or more interesting, the better. The more attention you draw to yourself (and Bright Eyes), the more likely you are to win. You could win by entering many times or one exquisitely-crafted entry. Continue reading →

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